


Trust

by KatMotif



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, Crying, Gen, Gunshot Wounds, Hugs, One Shot, Oscar Pine Needs a Hug, Post-Volume 7 (RWBY), Reincarnation, Reunions, Team as Family, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27152920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatMotif/pseuds/KatMotif
Summary: (Post V7, Pre V8) Oscar reflects on where being the latest in Ozma's reincarnation line has taken him in life. Ruby and Jaune comfort him. One shot.
Relationships: Jaune Arc & Oscar Pine, Oscar Pine & Ruby Rose, Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Comments: 1
Kudos: 73





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> Trying to branch out more from romance/ship fic and was hit by some inspiration from Oscar for some reason. Honestly I want to know more about him in future seasons, here's hoping we get at least a little something this coming volume. 
> 
> This is like, the third speculative fic I've written before V8 airs and I could be way off base for what we're gonna get but it's fun to write this stuff.

Oscar's mind was reeling, and it was hard to believe a single wound could make his entire body hurt. Then again, Oscar had never been shot before. A part of him still wanted to deny it even happened, still wanted to believe that James was still worth helping, saving, along with all of Atlas. He knew his friends may not think the same way, and maybe a part of him that wasn't Ozpin was telling him he was being naive to think so. He knew Ozpin was keeping them going right now, knowing his own aura had been broken by the shot, and the voice of Ozma's previous incarnation in his head had been strangely soothing to him right now.

He could smell his own blood on him and it made him sick, felt the aura that Ozpin was lending him slowly heal the aching wound. Every time he remembered he'd been shot a part of him wanted to panic. He'd never been shot before, never had anything worse than a cut before. He'd seen his own blood more times then he could count but he'd never felt so much soak into his clothes, adding to the chill of the air in Mantle. 

Oscar had never been more scared in all his life, and yet he still went on, for he had to. Atlas, Mantle, all of Remnant needed him to finish what had been started so long ago, or at least bring things that much closer to the end. All the memories he had now stretched millennia and he'd come to know all the ways he had died before, haunting like nightmares that could creep into his subconscious at any time if he allowed them to. The very idea of facing Salem face to face now was terrifying to him.

And yet, Oscar felt it was well past the point of turning back, if there was ever a point where he could have. He knew other lives had tried, but it always caught up eventually. Salem was not going to just go away, she would always find him. And she would kill him, both of them knowing full well he could not return the favor. Oscar didn't want to be just another life that was lost to this war, this cycle of reincarnation, yet he didn't know yet what he was going to do.

"Oscar!"

"Oh thank the brothers, he's okay."

Familiar voices called to him, Oscar turned to see his friends all running towards him. Suddenly the exhaustion set in, Ozpin apparently having worn himself out; Oscar whispered a thanks inside his mind. He knew the man inside his mind was still not quite ready to face his former students again yet. He stopped thinking once he fell into Jaune's arms.

"He's wounded! Gods, what happened?"

"...No...don't tell me. He  _ wouldn't _ ."

"What?"

"Did Ironwood shoot him?!"

"That  _ bastard! _ "

Oscar overheard his friends murmuring as he slowly lost consciousness. 

He woke up on a table, bandaged up and in a change of clothes. He still ached but knew his aura had been restored for the most part. Likely Jaune's doing. His wound still ached a bit, feeling like someone had gone into it with something sharp; had the bullet still been inside him and needed to be extracted? He could faintly hear Ozpin's voice reassuring him, telling him he was safe. A chill ran through him, and he pulled the blanket that covered him over and around his shoulders. 

Oscar looked around, the room empty save Jaune and Ruby, asleep on a bench by his bed. Jaune was slumped over and Ruby was leaning on him. He sighed, a faint smile creeping on his face. He knew he'd be getting a lecture about going off on his own again, especially against someone who was now their enemy. He still didn't want to believe that James was their enemy now, a part of him that  _ might _ have been Ozpin not wanting to believe the betrayal had happened even still. 

_ Not again _ , the words echoed in his mind, and he wasn't sure if it was Ozpin's or his own voice saying it. His eyes welled with tears and a lump formed in his throat. He felt his tears drop onto his bare knuckles as he clenched his fist over his mouth. A few shallow breaths escaped him through his nose as he struggled to stop himself from crying. 

_ It's okay to cry,  _ Ozpin told him, but he didn't want to wake his friends, and he didn't want to accept that he'd experienced something like what James had done. No, there was no way this was happening. This was all his fault, he thought, squeezing his eyes shut, causing the tears welled in them to streak down his cheeks. 

_ No, this isn't your fault,  _ Ozpin pleaded,  _ This isn't the first time we've been betrayed.  _ And yet the tears wouldn't stop and a hushed sob came from Oscar despite himself. His sobbing was only causing the aching wound to ache more but he couldn't stop himself. 

_ You still have  _ **_them_ ** _ , Oscar. It's alright.  _ And as if Ozpin had known, Oscar felt a hand slowly take his own. Oscar opened his eyes and saw Jaune looking at him, a soft look of furrowed brows and tired blue eyes looking. 

"It's okay, Oscar." Jaune whispered. Ruby stirred as well, reaching up and wiping Oscar's tears with part of her cloak.

"We're here." She murmured softly, offering a soft smile to the young farmhand. Oscar's sobs grew louder as he leaned over and wrapped his arms around the two of them. 

"You're safe." Jaune added, rubbing Oscar's back.

"He shot me. He  _ shot _ me." Oscar whimpered. 

"We know. I'd say I'd kick his ass but Nora called first dibs." Ruby spoke softly. Oscar laughed a bit before sobbing again. For a few moments he cried until he couldn't anymore.

"Is everyone else okay?" Oscar asked, still hiccuping.

"Yeah." Jaune answered. Oscar swallowed, looking down at his hands. He took in the deepest breath he could without pain.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone off on my own." The words caused Jaune and Ruby to look at him, then each other.

"We...get it. That there's stuff that you're going to have to do. Being...you know. Ozma." Ruby started.

"But next time at least let one of us back you up, okay? Please." Jaune added, pleading, his own eyes misting. Oscar sighed, nodding. The three of them hugged again.

"We're family. We're supposed to be there for each other, okay?" Jaune murmured. Oscar felt himself start to cry again as he hummed his agreement.

_ I hope so. _ Oscar heard Ozpin say softly. He understood it better now, where the man was coming from. Yet Oscar could feel even he was relieved at the words.

_ I trust them. You should too.  _ Oscar thought to Ozpin. Ozpin said nothing else, but Oscar didn't feel his presence shrink away. It was a start.

"Okay." Oscar said out loud.


End file.
